Merrist Wood Animal Management Centre & Animal Encounters

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Merrist Wood Animal Management Centre & Animal Encounters

The official page for the Animal Management Centre at Merrist Wood College. Learn more about our further and higher education courses too.

Updates about the students studying Animal Management, Countryside and Wildlife & Conservation courses here at Merrist Wood. Also regular updates about what is going on at the Animal Management Unit and other things we think you might find interesting!

30/09/2026

🦆 Welly Wednesday… meet our new Call Ducks!

We’ve welcomed some new feathered faces to Merrist Wood! 🦆Our Call Ducks have been settling into their new home and have already been busy exploring, splashing about and getting to know their surroundings.

Call Ducks may be small, but they certainly make themselves heard! They’re known for their distinctive, loud call — which was originally used to attract wild ducks.

We’re looking forward to watching these little characters settle in and become part of the farm. 🦆

28/09/2026

🦎 Monday Meets…

Meet our adorable baby Crested Geckos here at Merrist Wood! 💚

These tiny reptiles might be small, but they certainly have plenty of personality! 👀🌿 Crested Geckos are nocturnal, so they’re most active when the sun goes down and the lights go out.

🦎 Fun fact: Did you know Crested Geckos can’t blink? Instead, they use their long tongues to lick their eyes clean and keep them moist! 👀

25/09/2026

Say hello to our newest little arrivals! 💕 These adorable baby guinea pigs are already exploring their surroundings and getting stuck into the all-important job of eating!

Guinea pigs are born fully furred, with their eyes open and teeth already developed! Unlike many other small mammals, they can start exploring and nibbling solid food within just a few hours of being born. 🥰

23/09/2026

It’s Welly Wednesday again!
This week has been busy down on the farm with the arrival of more goat kids but also our rare breed Oxford Sandy and Black pigs.

Don’t forget we are open this Sunday where you can see these adorable baby animals. Book your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3RWSLNm

21/09/2026

Meet Marmite, our baby Pygmy Marmoset! She was born on 21st May and is already stealing hearts! 🥰

When fully grown, Marmite will weigh around 100 grams. Pygmy marmosets are the smallest specie of monkey in the world — how amazing is that?! 🌿🐒

Don’t forget you can book an encounter tour and see her in person at Merrist Wood Events.

18/09/2026

Meet Xena! Our new hornbill came from Hobbledown Epsom in July to be paired with our male, Hondo, as part of the Von Der Decken's hornbills EEP (European Endangered Species Programme). The pair have bonded well and are settling into their outdoor aviary!

15/09/2026

Meet our newest addition Zebedee and Zebedoo, this year our goats names have to start with the letter Z. It’s time to get creative, comment what you think our next kids should be called.

02/08/2026

A busy week for the farm team, exhibiting at both the New Forest and Cranleigh Shows!

On Thursday, we were joined by newly appointed show team member Lesley Joseph and the ITV Love Your Weekend team. It was also fantastic to catch up with many of our alumni, including former Agriculture student Olivia, who stepped in to help us in the ring when we had six sheep being judged at once.

Over the two days, our sheep achieved:
🥇 6 first places
🥈 8 second places
🥉 5 third places
🏅 2 fourth places
🏅 1 fifth place

It’s a busy show season for the farm, and next weekend the team will be heading to Chertsey Show. Wish us luck! 🐑

19/06/2026

If you came to our open day, you probably spotted Maple looking very pregnant… and we’re delighted to say she gave birth on Wednesday! 🐷 Mum and piglets are doing brilliantly, and we can’t wait to introduce you to the newest arrivals.

Did you know? 🖤🤍 The Oxford Sandy & Black is Britain’s oldest native pig breed, but it’s still considered a rare breed. These gentle, hardy pigs are renowned for their excellent temperament, outdoor grazing ability, and fantastic-quality pork. By supporting farms that keep Oxford Sandy & Blacks, you’re helping to conserve valuable genetics, protect our farming heritage, and ensure this wonderful breed continues to thrive for future generations.

Every rare breed we keep is a small but important part of preserving Britain’s agricultural history. Thank you for supporting what we do!

15/05/2026

🌍🐢Today is Endangered Species Day — a chance to raise awareness of the incredible animals around the world that urgently need our protection. 💚

Here at Merrist Wood College and University Centre, we’re proud to care for a number of endangered and critically endangered species as part of our ongoing commitment to conservation and education.

🔴 Critically Endangered species in our collection:
• Roti Island Snake Neck Turtles
• Indochinese Box Turtles
• Axolotls

🟠 Endangered species in our collection:
• Sulcata Tortoises
• Java Sparrows
• Fly River Turtle
• Hog Island Boa
• African Grey Parrot🦜

Every species plays an important role in our planet’s ecosystems, and days like this remind us why conservation matters more than ever.

Address

Merrist Wood College
Guildford
GU33PE

Telephone

+441483884000

Website

http://www.merristwood.ac.uk/Home.aspx

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